University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
McDonald Reaches Wimbledon Round of 16
July 06, 2018 | Men's Tennis
LONDON โ Former UCLA tennis player Mackenzie McDonald scored the biggest win of his professional career Friday when he took down 82nd-ranked Guido Pella of Argentina, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (6), in third-round action at Wimbledon 2018. The win makes McDonald the first Bruin men's tennis alumnus to reach the Round of 16 in a Grand Slam tournament since Davide Sanguinetti at the 2005 U.S. Open.
Next up for McDonald is a Monday match at the All England Club versus the winner of No. 13 Milos Raonic of Canada and Dennis Novak of Austria. Raonic and Novak split their first two sets Friday before darkness suspended play. They will pick up again Saturday.
It has been a rapid rise in the ATP rankings for McDonald, who is currently slotted at 103 after reaching a career-best 101 on June 18. He figures to see that number move well into the double digits following his Wimbledon debut, which has also seen him knock off Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis, 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3, 7-6 (6), and Chilean Nicolás Jarry, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 3-6, 6-2, 1-0 (9). McDonald's trip to the Round of 16 is the best showing by a first-timer since Australian Nick Kyrgios in 2014.
McDonald has already had an impressive year, notching his first Grand Slam win at the Australian Open in January. He defeated Elias Ymer of Sweden in first-round action and ultimately took third-seeded Grigor Dimitrov to five sets before falling in the Round of 64.
The Piedmont, Calif. native had a decorated career at UCLA, where he was named an All-American at the end of each his of his three seasons (2014-16). He also concluded his time with the NCAA Singles and Doubles Championships (with Martin Redlicki) and the 2016 ITA National Men's College Player of the Year award. He is also the only UCLA player to win two Pac-12 Player of the Year awards (2015, 2016).
Players Mentioned
